The Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action

Today, the contexts in which humanitarian interventions unfold are more diverse and complex than ever. Emergencies occur in places already suffering from chronic underdevelopment, each situation calling for specific and adapted responses. Faced with these complexities, humanitarian workers have to display and use a wide variety of skills and competences to cope with situations of armed conflict, epidemics, natural catastrophes and social exclusion.

Training and Research in Humanitarian Action

CERAH offers a wide range of training programmes and conducts academic research projects of international repute, drawing on Geneva’s network of international institutions and non-governmental organisations.

In recognition of the wide range of skills and broad knowledge-base that humanitarian professionals require today, CERAH’s courses provide in-depth training on subjects such as international humanitarian law, public health or project management for NGOs. Students are introduced to a variety of academic perspectives, including anthropology, economics and political science.

CERAH’s interdisciplinary research projects foster critical analysis of the humanitarian sector and humanitarian work, with the aim to improve performance, and encouraging reflection on professional practices, the politics of humanitarianism and humanitarian organisations.

Geneva: a centre of humanitarian action

Geneva is well known as an international centre for the humanitarian sector.

The International Committee of the Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Organisation for Migration and the World Health Organisations all have their headquarters in Geneva.

The city further hosts key offices of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, UNDP, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch. Dozens of international NGOs maintain offices in Geneva.

CERAH and its students benefit from unique access to these important actors in the humanitarian field, as well as from the Centre’s ties to Geneva's prestigious academic institutions.

Academic excellence

Lecturers and researchers from a number of faculties of the University of Geneva (Medicine, Sciences, Law, Translation and Interpreting), from the Graduate Institute (IHEID) and from humanitarian organizations bring their specialised expertise and unique perspectives to enrich CERAH's multidisciplinary programme.